Megan MacKenzie

Megan MacKenzie is a leading expert on gender and the military. Her 2015 book, Beyond the Band of Brothers: the US Military and the Myth that Women Can't Fight has received widespread critical acclaim for making a major contribution to debates on women in combat. MacKenzie's research bridges critical security studies, feminist theory, and critical development studies. Originally from Canada, Megan is currently an Associate Professor of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney in Australia. She is a former post-doctoral fellow with the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard University. Megan has published dozens of articles on topics ranging from sexual violence in war, to truth and reconciliation commissions, to gender and the military. Her first book, Female Soldiers in Sierra Leone: Sex, Security and Post-Conflict Development featured interviews with over 50 female soldiers in that country and countered dominant narratives about women’s role in the civil conflict.